Tray with height selection system

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to injection-moulded trays or containers with a revolving height adjustment system which allows the achievement of two or more different heights that are to be chosen and also provides stability during stacking.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention refers to devices or articles used for the arrangement, transport, storage, and display of goods. More particularly, the present invention is related to a tray with height selection system, wherein said tray can be stacked with other equal trays to form columns, and the distance between the stacked trays can be modified by means of a height selection system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of stackable devices or articles for the arrangement, transport, storage, and display of goods are known in the industry. Particularly, in some industries, stackable trays are widely used, such as in the food industry.

These devices are generally manufactured by injection molding, composed of a single rectangular shape, having a design that allows to be stacked on each other.

For instance, stackable devices used for the bread industry vary in size, wherein having trays with different heights that can be transported or stored in order to maximize the available space are needed, and thus storing or transporting the greatest amount of possible food products.

Once the trays are empty, it is very important also that they can be nested to occupy the smallest possible space, thus facilitating their storage and transportation.

In the prior art, there are trays which allow the height of the stack of the trays to be adjusted, rotating the same 180° when stacked, i.e. varying their orientation. This kind of trays allows up to three different level configurations, 2 loading heights, and a nesting one with the aid of a set pin, as described in Verna et al US 2006/0070906 A1.

It is well known in the art that the difference of heights between stacked trays can be achieved by inserting the legs of the tray into guides or slots of another tray, which allows stacking of said trays, where each conferred height depends on the orientation between them, thus achieving the possibility of having two different height or stacking levels, as well as a nesting configuration as explained in Stahl U.S. Pat. No. 9,469,470 B2. In Stahl's tray configuration, the feet are thin protruding projections which are inserted into the corresponding slots. However, these feet can be susceptible to strokes due to the daily handling of the tray, as they are configured as lateral projections, causing them to be released if the weight of the product is increased.

Similarly, in Hassel U.S. Pat. No. 9,156,588 B2, a tray having a plurality of feet in the side walls is disclosed which allows to vary the stacking height of said trays. However, the height difference achieved is minimal due to the design used in this tray, and only allows selecting between two heights.

Consequently, the existing trays and containers in the state of art have the disadvantage of only providing a maximum of three different heights between trays or containers of the same type, based on rotation of the same to achieve such height variation during stacking.

Additionally, the distance achieved between the aforementioned trays when stacked is minimal, whereby there is a need to provide a new lifting system that enable a greater variation of distance, in order to adapt the space between trays to a greater amount of product sizes, which allows stability of the column of stacked trays, and which occupies the smallest possible space for transportation or storage when the trays are empty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an objective of the present invention providing a tray with height selection system which be able to arrange columns of stable stacked trays.

A further objective of the present invention is providing a tray with a height selection system with two or more selectable heights.

A further objective of the present invention is providing a tray with a manual height selection system.

A further objective of the present invention is providing a tray with a height selection system that can be stacked and further nested.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tray (1) with a height selection system (2).

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an end of a side wall of the tray (1) shown with the height selection system (2) in exploded mode.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an end of a side wall of the tray (1) shown with the height selecting system (2) integrated in the active position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of trays (1) stacked shown with differential height (7 b) therebetween by the height selecting system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective detailed view of trays (1) shown stacked at two differential heights (7 b).

FIG. 6 is a side view of trays (1) shown with three different height configurations by the height selection system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of stacked trays (1) shown possible combinations of height configuration of the height selection system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a tray (1) with a height selection system (2), wherein the tray comprises:

a front wall (1 e) which is a flat plate; a back wall (1 h) which is a flat plate; two side walls (1 f) each one having optionally a hollow (1 g) for manual handling; said walls (1 e, 1 h and 10 projecting from a common base (5).

In relation to FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment of the height selection system (2) in accordance with the present invention is shown, which comprises:

-   -   a revolver (2 h) which, in the preferred embodiment, is a piece         similar to an “x”, however, in other embodiments, the revolver         (2 h) may have a different shape, also comprising at least one         groove (2 e), a bore (2 g) and optionally reference symbols (6)         and at least one mobile space (2 x);     -   a screw (3) with its corresponding nut (4);     -   a housing (2 f) in at least one of the side walls (1 f), with at         least one projection (1 b), a fixed space (2 a), a hollow shaft         (1 d), wherein in said housing (2 f) the revolver (2 h) is         housed; and     -   a foot (1 a) projecting downwardly from at least one of the side         walls (1 f);     -   wherein the screw (3) passes through the hollow shaft (1 d) and         the bore (2 g), screwing into the nut (4).

Moreover, the tray has at least one height selection system (2), however, the preferred embodiment of the invention has four height selection systems (2). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the four height selection systems (2) are close to the four ends of each of the side walls (1 f) in a corresponding manner, whereby each wall (1 f) has two height selection systems (2).

Each of the side walls (1 f) has at least one housing (2 f) in which a revolver (2 h) is housed. Furthermore, it has at least one-foot (1 a) projecting from said side wall (1 f) downwards. Wherein said foot (1 a) is below the housing (2 f). While at the top of the housing (2 f) is a fixed space (2 a).

It is noteworthy that the present invention may also have an inverse configuration between the housing (2 f), the foot (1 a) and the fixed space (2 a), i.e., there is the possibility that the foot (1 a) projects from the side wall (1 f) upwards, so that the foot (1 a) is located on the housing (2 f), while the fixed space (2 a) lies in the lower part of the housing (2 f).

FIG. 1 corresponds to the preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein a substantially rectangular tray (1) manufactured in a plastic injection process is shown. Said tray is formed by a front wall (1 e), a back wall (1 h) and two side walls (1 f), which project from a base (5).

The front wall (1 e) and the back wall (1 h) are parallel and their height allows stacking-nesting the tray, saving space for transport back to the warehouse once is empty. Additionally, the two side walls (1 f) are also parallel, each having at least one-foot (1 a) projecting preferably downwards.

Optionally, the side walls (1 f) have a hollow (1 g) as a function of a handle to facilitate the usage, however this hollow can be replaced by any other means that allows the manipulation of the tray.

The revolver (2 h), depending on the embodiment of the invention, has at least one mobile space (2 x) at the periphery thereof, in which a foot (1 a) which belongs to another tray can be inserted (1) with a height selection system (2) to be stacked, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5.

FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of an end of a side wall (1 f), wherein the parts forming the height selection system (2) are shown in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the hollow shaft (1 d) projects horizontally from the center of the housing (2 f), while the projections (1 b) of the housing (2 f) project radially towards the center of the housing (2 f).

Therefore, the hollow shaft (1 d) serves as a guide for the revolver (2 h), while its hollow allows for the free passage of the screw (3).

On the other hand, the projections (1 b) have the needed shape and dimensions to be fitted under pressure in the groove (2 e) of the revolver (2 h), leaving a space between both pieces so that the revolver (2 h) can rotate under pressure inside the housing (2 f).

The fixed space (2 a) of the housing (2 f) is a space belonging to both the housing (2 f) and the side wall (1 f), as shown in FIG. 2, which has the required shape for one foot (1 a) of another tray (1) to be inserted within.

To assemble the height selection system (2), the revolver (2 h) is inserted horizontally into the housing (2 f) in order to match the longitudinal axis of the bore (2 g) with the longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft (1 d), therefore the body of the screw (3) can pass through both parts to ultimately be screwed into the nut (4), whereby the revolver (2 h) is secured to the tray (1) by means of a screw (3) and a nut (4), at the same time it can rotate inside the housing (2 f). However, the revolver (2 h) can be fixed to the tray (1) by any other fastening means, allowing it to rotate within the housing (2 f), such as turning clips, bearings or rivets, etc. and may even be done without the hollow shaft (1 d) and the bore (2 g).

The revolver (2 h), may optionally have reference symbols (6) which indicate a predetermined height configuration, to assist the user to determinate the selected position of the revolver (2 h) at the desired height, as shown in FIG. 3.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7, to set a predetermined height (7 a), or other desired height (7 b) between the trays (1) with the height selection system (2), it is necessary to manually rotate all the revolvers (2 h) of the side walls (1 f), either to the right or to the left, to position on the top of each side wall (1 f) a mobile space (2 x) selected from the revolver (2 h), said selected height must be the same in all the revolvers (2 h) of the tray (1), and all must remain in the same position. Once the above is done, the tray (1) is ready to receive the foot (1 a) of another tray (1) with a height selection system (1) placed on the top.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the active position of the revolver (2 h) (FIG. 3) is achieved once all of the projections (1 b) are coupled with the grooves (2 e) of the revolver (2 h), and one of the mobile spaces (2 x) is located on the top of the side wall (1 f) ready to receive the foot (1 a) of another tray (1) with the height selection system (2) placed on the top. This position can be configured to grant a height differential (7 b) between trays with the height selection system (FIGS. 4,5 and 6), which will be determined by each mobile space (2 x) of each revolver (2), where, the more space there is from the periphery of the revolver (2 h) towards the center thereof, the foot (1 a) will be partially or fully engaged in the space (2 a), and the height differential will be less or null, limited only to the predetermined standard space (7 a) that is between each base (5) of the trays (1) to be stacked. Whereas the moving space (2 x) that exists between the periphery of the revolver (2) and the center thereof is less, the differential (7 b) of height between trays (2) with height selection system (2) will be greater, because the foot (1 a) of the tray (1) being stacked on this configuration will have a minor insert, causing the upper tray to be uppermost.

In this way, the preferred embodiment of the present invention has four possible active positions, determined by the different size of the four mobile spaces (2 x) of the revolver (2 h).

FIG. 7 shows a side view of a column formed by several trays (1) with the height selection system (2), according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

The representative embodiment of the invention which has been described is to be regarded as exemplary, and not limiting the scope of the present invention to a person skilled in the art.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   1 Tray -   1 a Foot -   1 b Projections -   1 d Hollow shaft -   1 e Front wall -   1 f Side wall -   1 g Hollow -   2 Height selection system -   2 a Fixed space -   2 e Groove -   2 f Housing -   2 g Bore -   2 h Revolver -   2 x Mobile space -   3 crew -   4 Nut -   5 Base -   6 Reference symbols -   7 a Predetermined height -   7 b Height differential 

1. A tray (1) with a height selection system (2), wherein the tray comprises: a front wall (1 e) which is a flat plate; a back wall (1 h) which is a flat plate; two side walls (1 f) each one optionally having a hollow (1 g) for manual handling; said walls (1 e, 1 h and 1 f) are projecting from a common base (5); characterized in that the height selection system (2) comprises: a revolver (2 h) comprising at least one groove (2 e), a bore (2 g) and optionally reference symbols (6) and at least one mobile space (2 x); a screw (3) with its corresponding nut (4); a housing (2 f) in at least one of the side walls (1 f), with at least one projection (1 b), a fixed space (2 a), a hollow shaft (1 d), wherein said housing (2 f) houses the revolver (2 h); and at least one-foot (1 a) projecting from one of the side walls (1 f), wherein the screw (3) passes through the hollow shaft (1 d) and the bore (2 g), screwing into the nut (4).
 2. The tray with height selection system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the screw (3) with its corresponding nut (4), the hollow shaft (1 d) and the bore (2 g), can be replaced by any other fastening means, which allows the revolver (2 h) to rotate and be fixed within the housing (2 f), such as rotating clips, bearings or rivets.
 3. The tray with height selection system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the foot (1 a) is coupled in the fixed space (2 a) of the revolver (2 h), when a first tray (1) with the height selection system (2) is stacked on a second tray (1) with the height selecting system (2).
 4. The tray with height selection system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the foot (1 a) projects from a side wall (1 f) downwards, wherein said foot (1 a) lies below the housing (2 f), while at the top of the housing (2 f), the fixed space (2 a) is found.
 5. The tray with height selection system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the foot optionally projects from the side wall (1 f) upwards, thus the foot (1 a) is located on the housing (2 f), while the fixed space (2 a) lies in the lower part of the housing (2 f).
 6. The tray with height selection system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the revolver (2 h) optionally have reference symbols (6) which indicate a predetermined height configuration, assisting the user to determinate the selected position of the revolver (2 h) at the desired height.
 7. The tray with height selection system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow shaft (1 d) projects horizontally from the center of the housing (2 f), while the protrusions (1 b) of the housing (2 f) project radially towards the center of the housing.
 8. The tray with height selection system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the projections (1 b) can be fitted under pressure into the grooves (2 e) of the revolver (2 h), leaving a space between both pieces so that the revolver (2 h) can rotate under pressure inside the housing (2 f).
 9. The tray with height selection system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollows (1 g) of the side walls (1 f) can be replaced by any other means that allows manipulating the tray.
 10. A tray with height selection system (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it forms a column or stack of nested trays.
 11. A tray with height selection system (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it forms a column or stack of trays assembled accordingly by means of the fixed space (2 a) and the foot (2). 